Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Honda Pilot owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving approximately 35-40 MPH and approaching the red traffic light, she depressed the brake pedal to come to a complete stop. The contact noticed smoke coming out of the cowl of the vehicle. The contact then turned on the AC and smoke came through the A/C vents. The contact opened the windows. The contact stated that the smoke became thicker and brownish while pulling into the parking lot of a nearby shopping center. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact parked and turned off the vehicle. The contact then noticed that there was a hole in the middle of the hood, and there was a flame coming through the hole. The contact stated that the hood and the windshield became engulfed in fire within 3 minutes even though it was raining. …
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the stability control, head start, TSA, and other warning lights were illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer, who diagnosed that the fuel injectors had failed. The fuel injectors were replaced. Approximately one month after having the vehicle repaired, while driving approximately 60-65 MPH, there was a rumbling noise coming from underneath the vehicle and the vehicle started shaking abnormally. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact decelerated the vehicle, turned on the hazards, and continued to drive home at speeds of approximately 40 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the engine failed due to a driveshaft failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 50-55 MPH, the vehicle started jerking. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact depressed the brake pedal and continued driving at slower speeds. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while driving. The contact also stated that the vehicle lost motive power while reversing. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that there was an oil leak. The oil pan, rear main seal, the engine mount, the crankshaft speed sensor, the spark plugs and the transmission mount were replaced. The contact stated that other unknown repairs were completed. However, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated that the hood of the vehicle would fail to remain open as needed and would close independently. …
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the rear-view camera displayed a blank or blue image while in reverse(R). In addition, there was an abnormal scrambling sound coming from the radio before the radio failed to operate as needed. The contact stated that other electrical features failed to operate as needed. Additionally, the contact stated that an abnormal, burning odor was coming from the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was initially taken to a dealer, where the contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the catalytic converter; however, the check engine warning light remained on the instrument panel. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the vehicle would stall upon the depression of the accelerator pedal with either the Collision Mitigation Failure or Shift to Park and Restart Vehicle messages were displayed on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer several times for the same failure; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact stated that upon disabling the auto idle-stop feature, the failure did not occur; however, the feature had to be manually disabled each time upon the start of the vehicle. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer and was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the engine would not immediately restart after the START/STOP feature was activated. The contact indicated that the vehicle occasionally restarted approximately three seconds after releasing the brake pedal. On other occasions, the vehicle would not restart. The vehicle was able to be restarted by pressing the START/STOP button. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure and a service appointment was scheduled. The contact referenced the NHTSA Investigation Number: PE22005 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the same failure listed in the investigation. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 47,000.
In 2021, my 2016 Honda Pilot had routinely had restart issues from when going idle at stop. In some situations, it simply would not start again and had to be jumped off. I ended up getting the battery replaced multiple times, but on [redacted] I went to my vehicle to start up and it was dead yet again. I then hooked up a jumper and the vehicle instantly started smoking from under the motor. Within 20 seconds, fire had started under the hood and it caused extreme damage to my home. The car was also destroyed. There seemed to be some sort of electrical system issue. I was able to get my 1 year old daughter safely away and nobody was hurt. However, this caused extreme losses.
Unintended Acceleration While at a standstill , on a hill, holding a foot on the break pedal , I lifted my foot from the break pedal to drift forward down the hill, (without ever getting near the gas pedal ) The car accelerated at a very high RPM. I pressed down on the break pedal to stop the car, but it was at such a high RPM rate that I was unable to stop the vehicle from hitting another vehicle in front of me, caroming off of it and my vehicle landed atop a hugh shrub suspending it several feet in the air. My vehicle was totaled and the vehicle it hit was severely damaged. There were no serious bodily injuries to any passengers in either vehicle. There are two issues here. The unintented acceleration, and the inability of the breaks to stop the vehicle.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the Lane Departure, Adaptive Cruise Control, and two additional warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the Blind Spot System and Cross-Traffic warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the START/STOP button failed to start the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the multi-purpose camera and all safety system features, and the START/STOP system had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer confirmed that the repair was not covered under recall or warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while at a stop light, the vehicle shut off with the "Shift to Park and Restart Vehicle" message displayed. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle operated normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and a software update was performed on the transmission but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the contact was informed that an update on the started software was needed. The update was performed but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, but no failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 90,000.
Related recalls
Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to September 8, 2015 and 2016 Pilot 4WD vehicles manufactured May 7, 2015 to September 4, 2015.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. The recall began on December 11, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Electrical complaints in other Pilot years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2016 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA has 580 complaints about the electrical system of the 2016 Honda Pilot, 34% of the model year's 1,716 complaints. The component named most often is starter assembly (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 Honda Pilot electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 15V-668 (instrument cluster/panel, Oct 16, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2016 Honda Pilot electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 49,000 miles, and 15% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 5 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.